Christmas may only be two days away, but that does not mean you do not have time to prepare a yummy festive feast. Mzansi, take a deep breath in and out. To execute a solid, winning festive feast, simply follow the principles of simplicity.
One of our favourite South African foodies, Errieda du Toit once said that there is no such thing as flops in the kitchen, there are only learning curves.
As you gear up for this year’s festivities, remember to celebrate every tiny kitchen victory, even if you have made a custard with all the lumps for that trifle.
Don’t overthink it!
Ditch the overthought Christmas menu right now and, instead, start prepping a few classic dishes to satisfy and spark nostalgia for the guests around your festive table. You already know what to do, just let your instincts guide you and take a minute to digest some wonderful dishes from our Mzansi foodies. Remember: when you stumble, dust yourself off and go again.
Ready, set, get your starter on
Mpho’s gizzards offer a budget-friendly start: Why not indulge in chicken gizzards, a truly South African delicacy? Registered dietician Mpho Tshukudu shares a recipe from the thought-provoking book about African cuisine, Eat Ting. Tshukudu believes that African foods and delicacies are not only beautiful and healthy but deserve to be celebrated.
Keep it green with Anda’s umfino: Umfino is a traditional South African comfort dish that is made of maize meal and finely chopped spinach. It is best served warm, usually with a side of tomato relish, stew, or vegetables. Food blogger Anda Mtshemla shares her vegan take on umfino which makes a strong argument for the vegan lifestyle.
Skilpadtjies are a timeless boerekos treat: Skilpadjies (tortoises) are a fireside favourite in Mzansi. Errieda du Toit, fondly known as the “Huiskok”, shares this recipe from her 10th published cookbook, Share, an ode to the community and the culture of recipe sharing. Skilpadjies are named as such because they resemble the shape of a tortoise.
“They are traditionally made with caul (or “netvet”), the lacy, fatty membrane around the intestines of livestock. This is an almost forgotten delicacy in our food history.”
Keep it light with seasonal veggies: Chef Dale Stevens draws his cooking inspiration from seasonal produce grown organically on the Avondale Wine Estate in Paarl. He shares the recipe for a salad of seasonal roasted vegetables with a buffalo labneh. Labneh is yoghurt that is strained to the consistency of soft cheese and is commonly used as a dip or spread.
Mains for your spread
Lucia Mthiyane’s festive summer spread: Renowned actress and singer Lucia Mthiyane shares not one, but three meals from her cookbook, Kitchen Queen. The self-taught “culinary goddess” shares an easy-to-make vegetable dish and the South African favourite, hard-body chicken. And no festive table would be complete without our national treasure, trifle.
Miranda’s roast chicken and veggies: Old-fashioned roast chicken is always a good idea for any lunch or dinner menu. Cape Town realtor and home cook Miranda Steduto shares one of her favourites, roasted sticky barbeque chicken with roasted vegetables.
Gammon for the win: If you’re looking for something more traditional, we’ve also got great recipes for a Christmas gammon. Of course, many South Africans will argue that Christmas isn’t Christmas without a delicious gammon on the menu. Why not zhoosh things up a bit this year? Try this timeless South African classic: a gammon glazed with brandy and Coke.
Absie’s lekker bredie: Founder of the Fresh Corporation’s Abonga “Absie” Pantshwa’s shares her lamb bredie. Nothing screams local like a bredie. Succulent lamb knuckles are stewed until they melt off the bone and the gravy itself is made from locally produced tomatoes packed with flavour.
Sweet surrender
Super chocolate mousse: This delightful chocolate mousse tart prepared by Cape Town chef Davante Donjeany is sure to add a layer of indulgence to your spread. Donjeany ticks all the boxes for chocoholics and sweet tooths with this easy-to-make double chocolate mousse cake.
Mzansi peppermint tart: The South African peppermint crisp tart oozes nostalgia with every bite. It most likely jostles with malva pudding and lekker melktert (milk tart) as an all-time favourite Mzansi delicacy. Foodie and self-published cookbook author of Treet Yourself, Reezwanah Seedat, shares her secrets for the most refreshing peppermint crisp tart you’ll ever taste…
Pick your trifles: Looking for more dessert options? It is no secret that trifles are a big deal in Mzansi. It could even be said that the dessert, so deeply embedded in our history, could have sparked a few family feuds. While there is absolutely nothing wrong with a little friendly competition among family, you stand a better chance of beating your aunts to the trifle throne with these recipes.
Here are three of our favourite trifle recipes. Each one is different and equally delicious!
- Lucia Mthiyane’s rainbow trifle.
- Sweet tooths rejoice with Zanele van Zyl’s Christmas cake trifle.
- Unaty Daniels homemade apricot and custard trifle.
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